Absolute beginner needs a bit of guidance.

Submitted by Browne4573 on Sun, 04/13/2014 - 19:27

Forums:

Hello, I've just swapped my 7' row/motor dinghy for a mirror today. I've only sailed briefly once before in a little single sail plastic boat like a large surfboard.
Will I be better off with just the mainsail until I gain confidence?

I am going to try rigging it next weekend on dry land so I can figure it out before I put to water. I can't sail yet as the person swapping has lost the rudder, I have the tiller but no rudder flap or hinge bit.

I'm planning on sailing solo, I'm 13'4 will it be stable enough. I really want to avoid tipping up the first few times until I am a bit more proficient.

Any beginners tips or pitfalls to avoid would be most welcome.

PuffinInTegel's picture

PuffinInTegel

Mon, 04/14/2014 - 13:02

Step the mast on the forward mast step, shackle the shrouds to the forward chainplates and the sail without a jib first until you are absolutely confident.
When you do sail single-handed with a jib, tie the jib-sheet ends together so that you cannot lose the active jibsheet accidentally. You need to be able to uncleat it immediately in case of a knock-down squall, otherwise it will be impossible to luff up the boat.
Write a "Looking for a rudder with fittings" post in the "Wanted" section of the Members' Marketplace sub-forum please. It helps to describe your whereabouts if you're looking for bulkier items. A picture of your boat's rudder fittings (gudgeons) would help because older Mirrors ~ 50000 number or lower had more robust looking rudder pintles than the newer ones have.
Is there a sailing/yacht club in your vicinity? If so, ask whether you could post your search on their noticeboard. The spars and other bits of a Mirror frequently outlived the hulls, so someone may have a rudder sitting in their garage or boat house.
Cheers and welcome a-online!
Gernot H.

TTS's picture

TTS

Fri, 07/11/2014 - 11:20

I would advice to rig including the jib and go sailing with a light breeze.
With little to no wind at all, any boat behaves slow and therefore the sailor gains confidence.

Maybe a fellow sailor is willing to advice on the first steps.

dictate's picture

dictate

Fri, 07/11/2014 - 15:18

Welcome!
Let us all know your approximate location as it will encourage members who can help to post replies.
I live in West Norfolk and can help you out with a rudder and perhaps other bits that you subsequently find that you may need.

Dick

David Cooper

Fri, 07/11/2014 - 21:16

The Mirror's the most stable dinghy I've ever sailed in, and you've got plenty of weight for keeping it upright, so you don't need to worry about being overpowered by the wind. If you ever turn yours upside down while sailing though, be careful to spread your weight out over the hull as you're climbing about on top of it and learn where the floorboards and other strong points are so that you can put more weight on them - I've known someone of half your weight punch a hole through a Mirror hull after a capsize with her knee, straight into a buoyancy tank.

If things get tricky, just let the sails out a bit and spill wind (the flapping does no harm other than to your ears), or else turn into the wind (which will make it possible for you to lower the sails if it's too wild to carry on sailing - you should have oars or a paddle on board as an alternative means of propulsion). Avoid getting into situations where you're going downwind in a high wind unless you have plenty of room to manoeuvre, because your brakes are letting the sails flap, and that's something that can't be done if you're going downwind unless you have room to turn. You can learn all of that in light winds though, and build up slowly until you can handle a gale.